Five, six, and seven notifications are represented by small dots. They don't tell you what the notification is at a glance, but will fit onto your notched screen.

Notch set in stone

Keep in mind that this in the Android P beta, and not the final version of Google's mobile operating system that we expect to see in August. Anything can change.

Also, while Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus don't have a notch, Samsung can always customize Android P to its liking. This is one of the features on which the Samsung Experience interface may call an audible.

The top of the Android P screen with four icons feels limiting, but necessary for a world with notched phones. True all-screen smartphones could come soon enough.